Paheja Siririka

A rather disappointing scene from a clip, going viral from last weekend, is of artists Top Cheri and Manxebe performing in Tsumeb to a massive crowd, despite the latest Covid-19 gathering regulation to only allow 50 people at an event.

The artists, whose real names are Monica Pinias and Landinus Vaino, have been promoting their collaborative album, titled ‘Ghetto Love’.

The ‘Ethanje’ hitmakers had an unexpected and not so pleasant surprise of more than 50 people at an event. 

Top Cheri tweeted: “We get to the venue ... probably +- 60 people. Gate is locked! The residence of Tsumeb decided. Open the gate; there is no show! They broke down the gate. While performing ‘Ethanje’, one comrade decides he wants to get on stage. So, everybody decides we all going”. Things quickly escalated on stage and it collapsed, as it could not hold the weight any longer. A close aid of Top Cheri was injured and transported to a nearby hospital. A stern supporter also sustained injuries.

“Why did nobody tell me about Tsumeb, Ayee, sorry,” she further tweeted. 

This debacle angered many on social media, questioning whether the pandemic does not exist in that part of the country. 

“This is unacceptable; there is corona. Corona is real; people are dying,” tweeted @shithappened90.

Others are caught on who is to be blamed. 

Kandali Lucia Lebon posted: “Should we blame the crowd or the artists? Well, let me say, those who organised this are very much also responsible for this carelessness. With the number of cases going up, this is bad. This, here, is a lack of respect for those who lost loved ones to Covid; those who are fighting to get well, and the nurses and doctors working hard to save the lives of those in critical conditions.”

Thoughts 

Who should be blamed for this? Is it the organisers, as they are expected to only allow 50 people inside? Should it be the artists, since they are the reason the event is happening in the first place, or should we shift the blame on the attendees, who are the ones crowding the place? Or should it be the police to blame for allowing the event to take place under such circumstances?

The Namibian nation at large has a role to play in the fight against Covid-19 in the country. One cannot play the blame game when so many players are contributing to the constant increase of the pandemic in the country.

- psiririka@nepc.com.na